Motor meter



Jan. 9, 1923. 1,441,363

" W. H. MANNS. MOTOR METER.

FILED MAR. 27 .1920.

' WH/Vmwva. BY mm,

A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 9, 19 23.

tTED STATES WALTER H. MANNS, OF CHICAGb, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR METER.

Application filed March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. MANNS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Motor Meters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i

My invention relates to improvements in means for indicating the condition .of an internal combustion engine, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel'form of a device for indicating the condition of an internal combustion engine which can be quickly and readily attached to the cooling apparatus 6f the engine. v A further object of my inventlon is to provide a device of the type described that is particularly adapted to be attached to the radiator for a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine and in which means is provided to instantly indicate changes in the temperature of the cooling fluid circulating through the radiator, whereby 'the combtion of the engine is disclosed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that is attractive in appearance, relatively simple in construction and operation, not liable to get out of order easily, and thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and'the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section throu h the device, a elevation,

Fig. 2 is a pl'anvview of the device.

Fig. 3 is a section along the. line 3-3 of Fig. 1. i

In carrying out my invention, I make useportionbeing shown in si e.

formed with a central threaded opening 3 in which" an exteriorly threaded lower end i i 4 of a sleeve or nipple 5 is screwed. The sleeve or nipple 5 is held in position by a nut 6 which is placed on the" lower end thereof. The sleeve or nipple 5 is also threaded interiorly at 7 toreceive an enlarged threaded portion 8 of a tubular casing 9. It will be noted that the. enlarged portion 8 is formed intermediate the length of the tubular casing 9 which has its lower portion depending within the radiator 1. The lower portion of the tubular casing 9 is closed by an end portion 10.

A lower base 12, which conforms in shape substantially to that of a segment" of a sphere provided with arcuately extending diametrically opposed lugs 13, has a central opening 14 enlarged andthreaded at 15' for screwing on a threaded upper end 11 of the sleeve or nipple 5. A circular upper base 16, having a beveled circumferential edge, is. formed with a threaded central socket 17 in its lower surface and the threaded upper end 18 of the tubular casing 9 is .received therein. i A card l9ihaving a temperature scale 20 delineated thereon, as

shown in Fig. 2, is disposed upon the upper surface of the upper base 16..

A rod 21 is inserted Withinthe tubular .will cause the indicator arm 23 to move arcuatel around the card 19. 1

A ousing 24, Y which is that portion of a sphere which will in cooperation with the lower circular base 12 form a complete sphere, is arranged to enclose the material, such asv glass, the portion 25 located above the upper base 16 being clear so that the temperature scale 20 upon the card 19 is lainly visible. It will be under stood that in order to effect the arrangement serted within the housing 24 and is then drawn downwardly into position when the threaded upper end 11 of the nipple 5 is screwed into the threaded opening 15. The inner arcuate surface of the sphere 24, be-

I tween the upper base 16 and the lower base heat, is disposed. about the upper portion of the tubular casing 9.

It will be noted that the rod 21 extends through the center of a lower disk 29 which can be moved vertically the'realong.

ing 9, being secured at its upper end-to the disk 29 and at its lower end to the bottom wall 10. The space Within the coil spring "28 is filled with mercury, alcohol, ether, or

a like temperature responsive element. A spiral member 30 hasits lower end rigidly secured to the upper surface of the disk 29 and has its upper end inserted within an opening 31 in an upper disk 32 through which the rod 21 extends. The disk 32 is rigidly secured to the rod 21 and rotation of the former will rotate the rod 21. The lower disk 29 is formed with diametrically opposed lugs 33 adapted to be received within the vertical grooves 34 which are formed in the inner wallof the tubular casing 9. It will therefore be noted that the movement of the disk 29 is limited to a vertical reciprocation.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The

radiator cap 1* is placed upon the filler spout in an ordinary manner, thereby causing the lower end of the tubularcasing 9, whichcontains the coil spring 28 and the temperature responsive element, .to depend within the radiator 1. The indicator arm 23 is positioned to indicate the temperature within the radiator by pointing to graduations of the temperature scale 20, which will register temperature in degrees, Fahrenbelt, or centigrade, as desired". The temperature responsive element, such as mercury,

or the like, contained within the coil spring 28 will be affected by a change of temperature within the radiator'l and will expand or contract as the temperature increases or decreases. When the temperature responsive element expands, the disk 29 is moved upwardly, thereby extendingthe spring 28.

When the temperature responsive'element contracts, the action of the coil spring 28 returns the disk 29 toward initial position,-or in other words, mov es the disk 29 downwardly in the casing 9. Consequently the disk 32 is rotated by the obvious action of A coil spring 28 is disposed between the lower disk 29 and the bottom end 10 of the tubular cas-- .the lower disk 29 when the latter is moved downwardly by the coil spring 28. The coils of the coilspring 28 move freely vertically in the casing 9.

Since the upper portion of the housing 24 is clear, and the scale 20 visible, the operator of the internal combustion engine will be instantly apprised of temperature changes occurring through the radiator. Since the condition of the cooling fluid circulating through the radiator is governed by the condition of the internal combustion engine, the operator will be at all time aware of the condition of his engine and will be notified when any abnormal condition exists, which, if continued, is likely to result in damage to the engine or the parts associated therewith. The device is ornamental in appearance and enhances the appearance of the radiator to which applied. When the device is applied to the radiator of an automobile which is in motion, objects passed will be reflected by the portion of the housing 24 that is arranged to act as a mirror.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a cap, a glass sphere secured to said cap, a plate disposed adjacent to the top of said sphere and having a central opening therein and series of markings thereon, a tubular member secured to said disc and projecting below said cap, said tube having its lower end closed and having a recess in the inner surface thereof, a rod pivotally disposed in said opening and said recess and having its upper end bent at right anles thereto, a disc, having an opening theren, carried by said rod a second disc slidably disposed on said rod and carrying a spiral member which projects through the opening of said first named disc, a spring secured to said second named disc and to said tube, and a temperature responsive fluid carried by said tube and being disposed below said second named disc. 9

2. A .device of the type described comprising a cap, a tube carried by said -cap and having its lower end closed, a plate carried by the upper end of said tube and having a central opening therein and series of markings thereon, an indicating rod journalled in ,the closed end of said tube and pivotally disposed in said opening, a disc having an opening thereon rigidly secured to said rod,

said tube being closed at its" lower end, a rod and having an opening therein, a second plate carried by the upper end of said tube, disc slidably disposed on said rod and having said plate having a central opening therein a spiral member which extends through the 10 and a series of markings thereon, an indiopening in said first named disc, and means eating rod journalled in the lower end of for moving said second named disc toward said tube and being pivotally disposed in and away from said first named disc. said opening, a disc rigidly secured to said WALTER H. MANNS. 

